intricate
Contents
EnglishEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Latin intricatus, past participle of intricare.
PronunciationEdit
AdjectiveEdit
intricate (comparative more intricate, superlative most intricate)
- Having a great deal of fine detail or complexity.
- The architecture of this clock is very intricate.
- Joseph Addison (1672–1719)
- His style was fit to convey the most intricate business to the understanding with the utmost clearness.
- 1907, Robert William Chambers, chapter V, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 24962326:
- As a matter of fact its narrow ornate façade presented not a single quiet space that the eyes might rest on after a tiring attempt to follow and codify the arabesques, foliations, and intricate vermiculations of what some disrespectfully dubbed as “near-aissance.”
TranslationsEdit
having a great deal of fine detail or complexity
Etymology 2Edit
As the adjective; or by analogy with extricate
PronunciationEdit
VerbEdit
intricate (third-person singular simple present intricates, present participle intricating, simple past and past participle intricated)
- (intransitive) To become enmeshed or entangled.
- 1864 October 18, J.E. Freund, “How to Avoid the Use of Lint”, letter to the editor, in The New York Times (1864 October 23):
- […] washes off easily, without sticking or intricating into the wound.
- 1864 October 18, J.E. Freund, “How to Avoid the Use of Lint”, letter to the editor, in The New York Times (1864 October 23):
- (transitive) To enmesh or entangle: to cause to intricate.
- 1994 December 12, William Safire, “Avoid Dunkirk II” (essay), in The New York Times:
- But the British and French won't hear of that; they want to get their troops extricated and our ground troops intricated.
- 1994 December 12, William Safire, “Avoid Dunkirk II” (essay), in The New York Times:
ReferencesEdit
- intricate at OneLook Dictionary Search
AnagramsEdit
ItalianEdit
AdjectiveEdit
intricate f pl
VerbEdit
intricate
- second-person plural present of intricare
- second-person plural imperative of intricare
- feminine plural past participle of intricare